Cut and cover construction of subway with utility chamber and air conditioning with minimum street traffic disturbance and method

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to forming spaced apart pits along the outer edges of the subway site which can be immediately covered with steel plates to permit normal traffic flow. The plates are removed and soldier beams placed at spaced positions in each pit. As excavation proceeds timber lagging is inserted between the soldier beams. When the excavation is made between the soldier beams, timber bracing and caps are installed across the tops of the soldier beams to receive the precast decking. Further soldier beams are then driven between the aforementioned soldier beams after the decking and bracing are removed. Excavation then can be made to permit construction of concrete walls along said further soldier beams longitudinally to comprise the outermost edges thereof. Sewer and gas mains are then laid along the concrete walls of either or both of them, optionally, but preferably exterior thereof to permit ready connection to dwellings or buildings. Trenches are formed laterally of the subway site at spaced apart locations to receive decking beams which are covered by concrete decking as excavation proceeds. The concrete decking is removed when sufficient trenches have been made to erect the steel decking beams. The concrete decking is then placed on the decking beam supports. Portions of the concrete decking are to be made removable, when street traffic permits, to permit completion of excavation and provide access for construction materials. Excavation is made to a level below all utilities. The utilities are supported from the decking beams by suitable hangers and cradles. The utility chamber may also be used as an air conditioning duct for the subway. Covering of the excavated areas as work proceeds permits a free flow of highway traffic during peak hours. The utility chamber greatly reduces costly disturbances of utilities during construction and by a rental agreement with the utility companies can be a substantial source of non-operating revenue.

United States Patent [191 Bingham et al.

[ Oct. 28, 1975 I CUT AND COVER CONSTRUCTION OF SUBWAY WITH UTILITY CHAMBER AND AIR CONDITIONING WITH MINIMUM STREET TRAFFIC DISTURBANCE AND METHOD [76] Inventors: Sidney H. Bingham, 109 E. 35th St., New York, NY. 10016; William H.

vEberhardt, 3 Wheatley Ave., East Williston, NY. 11596 [22] Filed: Oct. 31, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 519,254

3,555,979 l/197l Veder 61/44 X Primary ExaminerJacob Shapiro Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wilfred G. Caldwell [5 7 ABSTRACT The invention relates to forming spaced apart pits along the outer edges of the subway site which can be immediately covered with steel plates to permit normal traffic flow. The plates are removed and soldier beams placed at spaced positions in each pit. As excavation proceeds timber lagging is inserted between the soldier beams. When the excavation is made between the soldier beams, timber bracing and caps are installed across the tops of the soldier beams to receive the precast decking. Further soldier beams are then driven between the aforementioned soldier beams after the decking and bracing are removed. Excavation then can be made to permit construction of concrete walls along said further soldier beams longitudinally to comprise the outermost edges thereof. Sewer and gas mains are then laid along the concrete walls of either or both of them, optionally, but preferably exte rior thereof to permit ready connection to dwellings or buildings. Trenches are formed laterally of the subway site at spaced apart locations to receive decking beams which are covered by concrete decking as ex-' cavation proceeds. The concrete decking is removed when sufficient trenches have been made to erect the steel decking beams. The concrete decking is then placed on the decking beam s upports. Portions of the concrete decking are to be made removable, when street traffic permits, to permit completion of excavation and provide access for construction materials.

Excavation is made to a level below all utilities. The utilities are supported from the decking beams by suitable hangers and cradles. The utility chamber may also be used as an air conditioning duct for the subway.

Covering of the excavated areas as work proceeds permits a free flow of highway traffic during peak hours.

The utility chamber greatly reduces costly disturbances of utilities during construction and by a rental agreement with the utility companies can be a substantial source of non-operating revenue.

13 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Oct.28, 1975 Sheet 1 of5 3,914,946

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US. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet 5 of5 3,914,946 I FIG. l4

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/l7 L5 L9 Aw I? it 15 FIGLIB CUT AND COVER CONSTRUCTION OF SUBWAY WITH UTILITY CHAMBER AND AIR CONDITIONING WITH MINIMUM STREET TRAFFIC DISTURBANCE AND METHOD The present invention relates to a new method of constructing a novel subway, and may be referred to descriptively as a cut and cover method because it causes a minimum of traffic disturbance.

Spaced apart pits are dug along the outer edges of the' subway site to permit driving of short soldier beams. As excavation proceeds these pits may be covered with steel plates to accommodate normal street traffic. After a number of pits have been excavated, the steel plates may be removed and short soldier beams are driven. Excavation is then to be made to approximately 6 feet inches below street grade. Timber lagging is placed between flanges of the soldier beams as excavation proceeds. Timber caps are placed on the soldier beams which also are to have timber bracing and the excavated area covered by concrete decking, which permits normal traffic flow.

Soldier beams for the subway excavation are then driven and excavation made to ll feet 6 inches below the street grade. Concrete walls enclosing the upper portion of the soldier beams are then-poured.

Gas and sewer lines are laid exterior to the concrete wall and backfill placed to approximately one foot below the top of the soldier beams. The now unused soldier beams are removed to permit trenching laterally of the subway at spaced locations to accommodate decking beams which are to rest on the soldier beams for the subway excavation. The decking beams in turn support concrete decking to permit normal traffic flow.

When further excavation is undertaken, the decking is removed as required and excavation proceeds to feet 0 inches feet which completes the digging of a utility chamber to be housed above the train tunnel. Utilities are suspended by hangers from the decking beams until the subway is completely formed, i.e., to its 28 feet 0 inches depth or so, between the later driven soldier beams extending below the concrete walls. A steel supported concrete floor separates the utility chamber from the tunnel and the chamber may serve as an air conditioning duct, if desired. Sections of the precast concrete decking are removed when traffic conditions permit to remove excavated materialsand supply items needed for construction.

The concrete decking may include lift rings to facilitate removal.

Finally, the asphalt or other final surface is placed over the concrete decking. Cut and cover construction permits a free flow of street roadway traffic during peak usage. The utility chamber mades unnecessary the continual opening of streets for installation and servicing of underground utilities. A single manhole in the middle of each block is sufficient for all underground installations instead of the usual twelve or more manholes per block. The elimination of the extra street openings for installation and servicing reduces the number of potholes and results in safer and easier travelling. Annual rental of the utility chambers provides non-operating revenue to the rapid transit system which can be used to reduce operating costs and fares.

The subject invention will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a typical subway between stations;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a subway in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view in plan of the subway site showing early steps of the method;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the plane A--A;

FIG. 5 shows the next step in the method as illustrated by viewing thesubway site in plan;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane B-B of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows the subway site in plan to illustrate further steps of the method;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane GG of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a further plan view of the subway site to show additional construction;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line D--D;

FIG. 11 is a view of the subway, in plan, nearly completed;

FIG. 12 is a view section taken along the plane E-E of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 shows typical trenching with concrete decking to initiate excavation of the subway itself;

FIG. 14 shows the concrete decking supported by the decking beams as seen along the plane GG of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a detailed view of a portion of FIG. 16; and

FIG. 16 is a further detailed view of a portion of FIG. 15 taken along the plane A-A.

In FIG. 1 a typical subway tunnel is shown wherein the train tunnel is generally marked at 17 and the backtill indicated at 18, primarily to reveal the loss of space, this tunnel being dug to a depth of 24.7 feet.

In contrast, in FIG. 2 although the tunnel is only 28 feet 0 inches deep, for example it includes a large utility space 19 above the train tunnel 21. Also, grating 22 may be seen in the floor separating these two chambers. Subway ducts 23 are included in the utility chamber 19. The utility chamber is the region which provides the non-operating income and may also serve as a large air conditioning duct. The main lateral supports for the street itself, generally shown at 27, are the decking beams 116 in turn supporting the concrete decking 115 which carry the asphalt or other coating 117. The so-called further soldier beams 117 and 117' are seen as the sides of the excavation for tunnel 21 with the poured concrete walls I 10 and defining the outer walls of the utility chamber 19. Also, as can be seen,

these concrete walls and soldier beams I10 and 110' support decking beams 116.

To proceed with*the construction, it may be seen that the plan views of FIGS. 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 are above the crosssectional views extracted therefrom as seen in FIGS. 4, 6, 8, 10 and2l2. Thus, in FIG. 3, the outline of subway excavation 131 is wider than the completed subway.

A plurality of pits or, alternatively, two pairs of trenches, such as trench 1 and 1 are first dug to a level of something over 2 feet longitudinally of the site 131. Trench 1 is exterior of the location of the final wall of the subway'and trench l is interior thereof. In'any event, these trenches can be covered with steel plates to permit normal traffic to resume and facilitate ready removal for driving soldier beams and further excavation at the proper time. The trenches, by way of soldier beams 2 and 2' to be driven to, for example, a depth of 18 feet and form the-walls for further excavation using the timber lagging 4 and 4 being placed as the excavation proceeds.

Next, FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the beginning step in forming the site 110 of train tunnel 21. Excavation has intermittently continued forming a trench 135 which is covered by timber bracing and caps 5, supported on top of the original soldier beams 2 and 2 or the timber lagging 4 and 4' extending therebetween and the timber caps 5 in turn support precast decking 6. This decking may be removed to drive the further soldier beams 117 down to the 24 feet 0 inch level.

Next, a concrete wall 10 is poured using the soldier beams 117as a member therefor to comprise the outer walls 110 and 110' of utility chamber 19. Also, in FIG. 8, it may be seen that excavation had first proceeded to the 1 1.6 feet level and further timber lagging 4 and 4' added to contain the earth.

FIG. 10 shows the addition of gas mains l 1 and sewer main l3 and backfill 50 to one side or both sides of the wall 10 to permit the removal of the concrete decking, and the timber bracing and caps. If the sewer and gas mains are placed exteriorly of wall 10 it is much easier to connect them to dwellings or buildings because it is then not necessary to break through the wall 10 or surface right-of-way.

\ Soldier beams 2 and 2 are also removed along with lagging 4 and 4' to leave only the further soldier beams 117 and concrete wall 110 with sewer and gas mains.

Next the trenches 14 are dug laterally of the street between the concrete walls 10 and 10' or (110 or 110 of FIG. 2 when associated with the utility chamber 19) to permit laying of the decking beams 16 as supported by thesoldier beams 10 and 10. The trenches 14 can be covered with concrete decking 15 to permit normal travel and then selectively removed for installing decking beams 16 and for further excavation. For this purpose, lifting rings 17 are provided.

The-next step is to excavate down to the 10 feet 0 inch i level to form the utility chamber.

the utilities are temporarily supported from the deck ing steel beams in the utility chamber 19 and so do not interfere withfurther excavation of the subway tunnel Sections of the precast concrete decking 15 may be removed when traffic conditions permit to remove excavated materials and supply items needed for construction.

' The asphalt roadway 19 is finished over the concrete decking 15 when the decking has been finally installed permanently.

In FIG. 16 the decking is shown with the reinforcing ribs 21 which may comprise two to seven wire steel strands embedded in 5,000 pound concrete.

It may now be appreciated why the 6 foot minimum clearance utility chamber is significant to permit work men to serviceSO or 40 different types of utility facilities. Also, no air need be pumped to a man in a manhole.

Such annually recurring non-operating income greatly reduces the financial burdens to cities now wishing to install subway systems and permits the cities either to pay back part of the funds granted by Urban Also, many regulations apply to manhole use and this is truly costly to cities and a nuisance to traffic.

Utilities are permanently buried, and servicing requires excavation, which the present invention completely eliminates.

The construction presented herein enables workmen to operate in all types of weather and with improved efficiency.

Basically, the materials used in the subway construction remain, and this eliminates costly temporary streets and so forth.

What is claimed is:

l. The method of constructing a subway including an underground utility chamber beneath a roadway or the like in a manner minimizing traffic disturbance comprising the steps of:

excavating a plurality of spaced apart pits along the edges of the subway to be constructed;

driving soldier beams in the pits;

covering the pits with steel plates for traffic;

removing the plates for excavation of trenches between the beams;

placing lagging along the beams as excavation continues;

installing timber bracing and caps on the soldier beams of the adjacent trenches for traffic flow; covering the excavations with precast concrete decking supported by the timber bracing and caps; removing the decking;

driving further soldier beams laterally between said beams;

excavating deeper in the trenches;

replacing the decking for traffic;

removing the decking;

pouring concrete walls longitudinally between said further beams;

constructing mains along said walls;

removing the concrete decking, cap and said soldier beams but not the further beams;

backfilling adjacent the outerside of the concrete walls;

forming trenches laterally between the concrete walls;

covering the trenches with concrete decking and at least partially removing the decking as required for further construction;

supporting decking beams on the further beams in the lateral trenches;

excavating a utility chamber between said walls;

suspending utilities from said decking beams;

excavating a train tunnel beneath the utility chamber;

and

finishing the concrete decking to form a permanent roadway.

2. The method of claim I wherein the plurality of pits comprises:

pairs of spaced apart pits respectively disposed oppositely along the longitudinal boundaries of the subway under construction.

3. The method of claim 2 comprising the further step of:

installing grating in the floor of the utility chamber.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of: I

removing the supporting of the utilities from said beams and permanently afiixing the utilities in said chamber.

5. A subway comprising in combination:

a utility chamber;

a train tunnel beneath said chamber;

concrete walls longitudinally forming said utility chamber; and

air penetrable means separating the chamber from the tunnel.

6. The subway of claim 5 wherein the utility chamber further comprises! concrete decking forming the top thereof; and

asphalt coating the upper surface of said decking.

7. The subway of claim 5 wherein:

said concrete walls comprise inwardly extending bases; and

said penetrable means is grating.

8. The method of subway construction comprising the steps of:

trenching parallel to and on each side of the longitudinal edges of the subway under construction;

covering and uncovering the trenched regions as required to maintain traffic flow;

driving soldier beams in the trenched regions;

excavating between adjacent trenches;

installing lagging between said soldier beams along each side of the longitudinal edges as excavation proceeds;

driving further soldier beams in the excavated regions along the longitudinal edges of the subway;

bracing the first-mentioned soldier beams across said excavated regions;

placing timber caps on tops of said first-mentioned soldier beams;

covering and uncovering the excavated regions, as

required for construction therein;

excavating between adjacent trenches;

installing lagging between said first-mentioned sol dier beams along each side of said longitudinal edges as excavation proceeds;

pouring concrete walls along said edges between the further soldier beams to outline a utility chamber;

installing gas and sewer facilities externally of said walls;

removing the first-mentioned soldier beams;

back-filling against said walls to cover the gas and sewer facilities;

excavating transverse trenches at spaced-apart positions between the walls;

erecting decking beams at said spaced-apart positions supported by said further soldier beams;

covering and uncovering the region between said walls, as required for traffic flow;

excavating said utility chamber between the further soldier beams;

suspending utilities from the decking beams;

partially uncovering and re-covering the region between said walls for ingress and egress of personnel, construction materials and removal of excavated materials to construct a train tunnel beneath the utility chamber; and

finishing the covered region between said walls permanently when the subway construction is completed.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein covering and uncovering of the first mentioned excavated regions is accomplished using:

precast concrete panels supported on said timber bracing and caps, in turn supported by said first mentioned soldier beams.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of partially covering and re-covering the region between said walls is accomplished by using:

precast concrete decking panels supported by said decking beams.

11. The method of subway construction comprising the steps of:

selectively utilizing a plurality of soldier beams driven into the earth in spaced-apart predetermined relation in excavations to provide a row of soldier beams along the edges of the subway; said excavations being covered and uncovered as required for traffic control;

constructing concrete walls as the edges of the subway using the soldier beams located therealong; constructing gas and sewer facilities on the outside of and adjacent to said walls;

backfilling to cover said facilities after construction;

trenching laterally between the walls at spaced-apart locations for installing spaced-apart decking beams;

covering the beams and the region between said walls, using said beams as supports, to serve as a temporary roadway;

finishing the upper portion of said walls and the backexcavating a utility chamber between said walls beneath said decking beams;

temporarily suspending utilities from the decking beams;

excavating further beneath the utilities chamber to construct a train tunnel; and

finishing the covered region between said walls above the decking beams for a permanent roadway, and providng a decking structure spaced below the decking beams to form and separate the utility chamber from the train tunnel to provide a permanent support structure for said utilities.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the excavations span each of said edges of the subway and extend therebeyond laterally in both directions, and the walls of the excavations are suppoted by lagging between the soldier beams other then said row of soldier beams.

13. The method of claim 1 1 including the further step of uncovering areas in the covering in the region between said walls to provide egress for excavated material and ingress for construction materials. 

1. The method of constructing a subway including an underground utility chamber beneath a roadway or the like in a manner minimizing traffic disturbance comprising the steps of: excavating a plurality of spaced apart pits along the edges of the subway to be constructed; driving soldier beams in the pits; covering the pits with steel plates for traffic; removing the plates for excavation of trenches between the beams; placing lagging along the beams as excavation continues; instaling timber bracing and caps on the soldier beams of the adjacent trenches for traffic flow; covering the excavations with precast concrete decking supported by the timber bracing and caps; removing the decking; driving further soldier beams laterally between said beams; excavating deeper in the trenches; replacing the decking for traffic; removing the decking; pouring concrete walls longitudinally between said further beams; constructing mains along said walls; removing the concrete decking, cap and said soldier beams but not the further beams; backfilling adjacent the outerside of the concrete walls; forming trenches laterally between the concrete walls; covering the trenches with concrete decking and at least partially removing the decking as required for further construction; supporting decking beams on the further beams in the lateral trenches; excavating a utility chamber between said walls; suspending utilities from said decking beams; excavating a train tunnel beneath the utility chamber; and finishing the concrete decking to form a permanent roadway.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of pits comprises: pairs of spaced apart pits respectively disposed oppositely along the longitudinal boundaries of the subway under construction.
 3. The method of claim 2 comprising the further step of: installing grating in the floor of the utility chamber.
 4. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of: removing the supporting of the utilities from said beams and permanently affixing the utilities in said chamber.
 5. A subway comprising in combination: a utility chamber; a train tunnel beneath said chamber; concrete walls longitudinally forming said utility chamber; and air penetrable means separating the chamber from the tunnel.
 6. The subway of claim 5 wherein the utility chamber further comprises: concrete decking forming the top thereof; and asphalt coating the upper surface of said decking.
 7. The subway of claim 5 wherein: said concrete walls comprise inwardly extending bases; and said penetrable means is grating.
 8. The method of subway construction comprising the steps of: trenching parallel to and on each side of the longitudinal edges of the sUbway under construction; covering and uncovering the trenched regions as required to maintain traffic flow; driving soldier beams in the trenched regions; excavating between adjacent trenches; installing lagging between said soldier beams along each side of the longitudinal edges as excavation proceeds; driving further soldier beams in the excavated regions along the longitudinal edges of the subway; bracing the first-mentioned soldier beams across said excavated regions; placing timber caps on tops of said first-mentioned soldier beams; covering and uncovering the excavated regions, as required for construction therein; excavating between adjacent trenches; installing lagging between said first-mentioned soldier beams along each side of said longitudinal edges as excavation proceeds; pouring concrete walls along said edges between the further soldier beams to outline a utility chamber; installing gas and sewer facilities externally of said walls; removing the first-mentioned soldier beams; back-filling against said walls to cover the gas and sewer facilities; excavating transverse trenches at spaced-apart positions between the walls; erecting decking beams at said spaced-apart positions supported by said further soldier beams; covering and uncovering the region between said walls, as required for traffic flow; excavating said utility chamber between the further soldier beams; suspending utilities from the decking beams; partially uncovering and re-covering the region between said walls for ingress and egress of personnel, construction materials and removal of excavated materials to construct a train tunnel beneath the utility chamber; and finishing the covered region between said walls permanently when the subway construction is completed.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein covering and uncovering of the first mentioned excavated regions is accomplished using: precast concrete panels supported on said timber bracing and caps, in turn supported by said first mentioned soldier beams.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of partially covering and re-covering the region between said walls is accomplished by using: precast concrete decking panels supported by said decking beams.
 11. The method of subway construction comprising the steps of: selectively utilizing a plurality of soldier beams driven into the earth in spaced-apart predetermined relation in excavations to provide a row of soldier beams along the edges of the subway; said excavations being covered and uncovered as required for traffic control; constructing concrete walls as the edges of the subway using the soldier beams located therealong; constructing gas and sewer facilities on the outside of and adjacent to said walls; backfilling to cover said facilities after construction; trenching laterally between the walls at spaced-apart locations for installing spaced-apart decking beams; covering the beams and the region between said walls, using said beams as supports, to serve as a temporary roadway; finishing the upper portion of said walls and the backfill; excavating a utility chamber between said walls beneath said decking beams; temporarily suspending utilities from the decking beams; excavating further beneath the utilities chamber to construct a train tunnel; and finishing the covered region between said walls above the decking beams for a permanent roadway, and providng a decking structure spaced below the decking beams to form and separate the utility chamber from the train tunnel to provide a permanent support structure for said utilities.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the excavations span each of said edges of the subway and extend therebeyond laterally in both directions, and the walls of the excavations are suppoted by lagging between the soldier beams other then said row of soldier beams.
 13. The method of claim 11 including the further step of uncovering areas in the covering in the region between said walls to provide egress for excavated material and ingress for construction materials. 